2017 Audi S5 354hp – Perfect Coupe!!

Let’s start with the obvious elephant in the room: The new 2017 Audi S5 looks mostly like the model it replaces. Is that a bad thing? We headed to Portugal to test out the S5 on that country’s serpentine back roads, and to see if there’s something more substantive behind its evolved exterior.

Only compared to the decidedly more evocative Mercedes-AMG C43 Coupe does the svelte S5 come across as a little frumpy. It takes parking the new S5 next to the old one to spot the details. A tweaked profile. A more pronounced belt line. A power-dome hood. Narrower A-pillars. The new S5 is different, but the same, in that grand Audi tradition.

Underhood, the differences are again evolutionary. The original S5 featured a 4.2-liter, naturally aspirated V8. A few years back, that was replaced by a supercharged 3.0-liter V6, which in turn has been supplanted in the 2017 S5 by a turbocharged 3.0-liter V6. The turbo, a twin-scroll unit nestled between the cylinder banks, helps the direct-injection engine make a healthy 354 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. That power, 21 hp and 44 lb-ft more than its predecessor, is channelled through Quattro all-wheel drive.

The newly developed V6 mates exclusively to a conventional eight-speed automatic, which seems like a step backward. Last year’s S5 offered either a six-speed manual or a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox. We pressed Audi and got the answer we expected: Demand for the stick was nonexistent outside the United States (go America!) and the dual-clutch couldn’t handle the 44 pound-foot increase in torque.

Curiously, the A5 on which the S5 is based trades last year’s eight-speed autobox for a seven-speed dual-clutch. It sounds like someone at Audi put the wrong transmission in each car, but in reality the S5’s torquey engine is well-suited to the refined eight-speed. Kick the throttle, get into boost, and all four drive wheels scrabble for traction, especially on the wet pavement we encountered outside of Porto, Portugal. Punch the S5 to pass on a tight two-lane road and the sport exhaust roars with the kind of guttural growl we want to hear in a sporty coupe. It positively scoots.

Though its Volkswagen MLB 2 platform is new, the S5 rides and handles like a more refined version of its predecessor. Considerably less road rumble penetrates the cabin, and the S5 strikes a pleasant balance between grand-touring plush and sports-car firm. That’s probably because our test car was equipped with the optional three-mode adaptive suspension system; base cars ride on standard non-adjustable units.

Comfort mode softened things up for rutted terrain, while Dynamic mode was noticeably stiffer. We preferred the “Auto” setting, which straddles a pleasant middle ground. In any mode, body lean is kept in check, but pushing the S5 hard reminded us that more weight sits over the front wheels here than in a BMW 435i. You’ll get some push if you really shove the coupe into a corner, but the Hankook tires developed specifically for the S5 have respectable grip. In US trim, the car’s curb weight should come in about 100 pounds lower than last year’s model, which weighed 3,858 pounds; the quoted 3,560-pound figure is for a European-spec car.

The S5’s cabin, like the C-Class’s, feels an entire class above BMW’s two-door. Material choices are excellent throughout and, for such a complex car, the switchgear is logically arrayed. Few buttons are on the dashboard itself, and a big, 12.3-inch Virtual Dashboard takes the place of conventional gauges and works brilliantly. The highly configurable screen never washes out in harsh light and can be set to display virtual gauges with the tachometer front and center or a host of trip computer and navigation functions. A secondary screen propped on the center of the dash for Audi’s MMI Plus infotainment looks like an iPad but is controlled by a big center-console knob with a touchpad on its surface. More efficient software makes MMI Plus breezier to navigate than before.

The cosseting doesn’t end there, although we should note that adding all these luxuries will bump the price well above the estimated $55,000 base price. S5s will drive themselves for limited periods on the highway with an optional package, something we weren’t able to test out since the drive was exclusively on narrow back roads that felt more like a rally stage at times than a rural highway.Read More http://www.autoblog.com/2016/06/21/2017-audi-s5-first-drive-review/

It looks much better than the previous model especially the back is very good designed. The front has that important aggressiveness what Audi has always to offer. Very good car nice looking and stylish.

Looks great. Not sure they needed another 4-door between the 4 and 6 in size. Calling it a Coupe is stupid. I realize Audi did not start it. Not a good color, though Audi colors are usually better than competitors.

Theres no 4 door model of the S5 in Canada. Neither is there the opportunity to purchase a TT RS, RS5, RS6 or an RS8. Only one available is RS7. I own an S5 2 door coupe and not really impressed with this four door version. Color is hell!

The engine update is a bust imo. The supercharged engine was a completely lag free torque monster. I know superchargers have a parasitic effect when not being used and as such don’t make sense to bean counting gas misers but something will be lost when these leave us. The only issue I had with my S5 (REAL COUPE) was the steering was dead and the dual clutch transmission was way to slow to downshift into first gear(drove me crazy). I would only contemplate buying this turbo if it had 400hp or north of that.

I almost forgot THIS THING IS UGLY imo! Looks like a Volkswagen. These 4 doors coupes just piss me off because of the stupidity and sense of desperation I feel (from carmakers) when I hear and see 4 door coupes. Audi used to buck the styling trends with captivating styling and now we have this type of sterile eye filler. The only good styling points are the lights and they are cool but a whole look they do not make. The dash display is cool too btw.

I am hoping the new S6 is better and I hope the pricing stays under control or it will be a bust like this disappointment.